# NTSB DFW07CA140: Cessna 172G, N4260L, Katy, TX, June 12, 2007

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: June 12, 2007, 12:45 local (17:45 UTC)
- Place: Katy, TX
- Coordinates: 30.5886111111111, -96.3638888888889
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.5886&lon=-96.3639&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report July 25, 2007
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: Houston, Texas
- NTSB case key (mKey): 66018
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DFW07CA140
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66018/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW07CA140

## Probable cause

The student pilot's improper flare and his failure to recover from a bounced landing.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - porpoise/pilot-induced oscillation - encountered, pilot in command
  - recovery from bounced landing - improper, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

The airplane landed hard, bounced, encountered porpoise, and the nose landing gear collapsed.  The 43-hour student pilot reported that he was returning from his first solo cross-country flight.  He added that  while landing on runway 16, which was reported to be 7,000-foot long, by 150-foot wide, he misjudged the height of the airplane above the runway and the airplane stalled at dropped-in from a height of 10-feet.  After the initial bounce, the aircraft began to porpoise, and the nose landing gear collapsed after the second bounce.  The pilot attempted to taxi the airplane off the active runway.  According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector, who responded to the accident, the engine firewall sustained structural damage.  The impact also fractured the nose gear assembly and buckled the engine firewall.  The pilot was uninjured and was able to egress from the airplane unassisted.  At the time of the accident, the on-field weather observation station reported the wind from 170 degree at 4 knots.

## Factual narrative

The airplane landed hard, bounced, encountered porpoise, and the nose landing gear collapsed.  The 43-hour student pilot reported that he was returning from his first solo cross-country flight.  He added that  while landing on runway 16, which was reported to be 7,000-foot long, by 150-foot wide, he misjudged the height of the airplane above the runway and the airplane stalled at dropped-in from a height of 10-feet.  After the initial bounce, the aircraft began to porpoise, and the nose landing gear collapsed after the second bounce.  The pilot attempted to taxi the airplane off the active runway.  According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector, who responded to the accident, the engine firewall sustained structural damage.  The impact also fractured the nose gear assembly and buckled the engine firewall.  The pilot was uninjured and was able to egress from the airplane unassisted.  At the time of the accident, the on-field weather observation station reported the wind from 170 degree at 4 knots.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N4260L](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4260L), registered now, S/N 17254329, built 1966 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Cessna 172G
- Registry model: [Cessna 172G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172g) (registry code 2072420) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental 0-300 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (registry code 17022, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17254329
- Engines: Continental 0-300 SER reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: 4260L Corporation
- Registered owner: 4260L Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: 27XS, Brookshire, TX
- Destination: CLL, Katy, TX
- Airport: CLL, Easterwood Field Airpot, runway 16, 7,000 × 150 ft, concrete

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Student pilot; age 56; injuries: none; student; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 43 total, 43 in this make and model, 29 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: CLL

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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